Intolerance still present, equality commissioner warns

BELGRADE The International Day for Tolerance is marked today and Equality Protection Commissioner Nevena Petrusic warns that intolerance is still widely spread. She told Tanjug that Serbia “cannot exactly say it is too tolerant”. Intolerance still present, equality commissioner warns “Cases of widely spread discrimination of certain marginalized, vulnerable social groups show that intolerance is still pretty widely spread,” Petrusic said and added that sexual minorities and Roma were particularly discriminated against. She pointed out that a lot more needed to be done if Serbia wanted to be a society of true equality. “We need to teach the adults and especially the youth and children how easy it is to be tolerant and live together if differences are respected,” the equality commissioner stressed. She noted that the International Day for Tolerance reminded people around the world that it was impossible to live in peace and harmony, develop peoples and nations without tolerance. “Being tolerant does not only mean to agree with somebody who thinks the same but also to agree with those who have other ideas, who are of different religion, race, sex, sexual orientation,” Petrusic explained. She stressed that tolerant people stood by their beliefs but also allowed others to have their own, different beliefs. Youth and Sport Ministry’s State Secretary Nenad Borovcanin also agrees that tolerance should be promoted, especially among young people. He announced that a round table dubbed “Fair play is victory” would be held. “Sport is a very important segment of every society because we can promote tolerance through it,” the state secretary explained. According to him, “everybody should find enough love in and around them regardless of religious, racial, political or intellectual differences”. “It is important that the young people understand this because if they have the right attitude, our future will be bright,” Borovcanin concluded. Nevena Petrusic (B92, file) Tanjug

Intolerance still present, equality commissioner warns

“Cases of widely spread discrimination of certain marginalized, vulnerable social groups show that intolerance is still pretty widely spread,” Petrušić said and added that sexual minorities and Roma were particularly discriminated against.

She pointed out that a lot more needed to be done if Serbia wanted to be a society of true equality.

“We need to teach the adults and especially the youth and children how easy it is to be tolerant and live together if differences are respected,” the equality commissioner stressed.

She noted that the International Day for Tolerance reminded people around the world that it was impossible to live in peace and harmony, develop peoples and nations without tolerance.

“Being tolerant does not only mean to agree with somebody who thinks the same but also to agree with those who have other ideas, who are of different religion, race, sex, sexual orientation,” Petrušić explained.

She stressed that tolerant people stood by their beliefs but also allowed others to have their own, different beliefs.

Youth and Sport Ministry’s State Secretary Nenad Borovčanin also agrees that tolerance should be promoted, especially among young people.

He announced that a round table dubbed “Fair play is victory” would be held.

“Sport is a very important segment of every society because we can promote tolerance through it,” the state secretary explained.

According to him, “everybody should find enough love in and around them regardless of religious, racial, political or intellectual differences”.

“It is important that the young people understand this because if they have the right attitude, our future will be bright,” Borovčanin concluded.